Buffing wheel



April 26, 1949. N E, SAX 2,468,686

BUFFING WHEEL Filed Feb. 20, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Apr. 26, 1949 2,468,686 BUFFING' WHEEL Nathan E. Sax, Chicago, Ill

Buff Company, Illinois assignor to American Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Application February 20, 1948, Serial No. 9,643

7 Claims. l

This invention relates to a buing wheel and a process of assembling same, and more particularly this invention relates to a buiiing wheel of the bias buff type.

Buiflng wheels suitable for use in polishing and grinding operations are well known in the art. Satisfactory butling Wheels have been prepared from various textile fabrics by a number of different methods and various means have been proposed for arranging the textile material and mounting it on a hub section of the wheel. In the preparation of buing wheels of this type it is important that they be constructed in such a manner that they will stand up during use in high speed buiiing operations. Accordingly it is one object of this invention to provide a buling wheel which may be easily constructed and which will stand up well under all conditions of use.

A further obiect of this invention is the pro,- vision of a bufiing wheel of the bias buff type in which the textile material providing the grinding or polishing surface is firmly anchored to the hub section of the wheel in such a manner that it will not be pulled loose by centrifugal force when the wheel is rotated at high speeds.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a buiiing wheel having a solid hub section but which is firmly secured to the textile material which forms the polishing or grinding surface for the buff.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a process for readily assembling a buffng wheel which may be inexpensively and readily carried out.

Further and additional objects will appear from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

In carrying out this invention in one form. a butTlng wheel is provided which comprises a strip of textile material wound in the form of a flat spiral. Between the severa] convolutions of the resulting spiral are placed a plurality of fabric discs, each of which are slit radially in order to receive the strip of textile which passes from one convolution to a succeeding convolution. In addition there is provided a plurality of separator discs between the fabric discs which correspond to the thickness of textile material between each fabric disc and which in combination with the fabric discs serve to build up a solid hub section for the buina wheel. The resulting hub assembly is secured together by a suitable adhesive and by stitches or other securing means extendingr through the spirally wound textile strip and the fabric discs and between the fabric discs and Thus there is provided a buflng wheel having a unitary structure in which the strip of textile or bufng material is firmly secured to a solid built up hub section of the wheel. The hub of the resulting wheel may be enclosed between two heavy fabric discs stitched or otherwise secured to opposite sides thereof. The strip of textile material is preferably cut on the bias, as is well known in the art, to minimize fraying during use.

The feature of having the fabric discs provided with radial slits is important in accordance with the herein disclosed invention. The slit provides means for passing the sheet of bufing material from one convolution to the next and also provides a structure which will permit the ready assembly of the buiiing wheel in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. l is a sectional view of a bufling wheel constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a fabric disc and a separator disc adhesively secured together in face-toface relationship which are used in the assembly of the bufng wheel shown in Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a radially slit fabric disc employed in the construction of the bufling wheel shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a method of applying a strip of textile material or buing fabric onto the disc assembly shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4 except that it shows the wheel in a somewhat more advanced state of formation with a slit fabric disc and a second separator disc in position and showing in addition further Winding of the bulng material about the separator disc; and

Fig. 6 is an exploded view which indicates both the method of assembly and the various interrelationships of the several elements which go to make up parts of the bufling wheel of this invention.

With more particular reference to the drawings, a bufilng wheel constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention comprises an elongated strip i0 of a buiiing fabric comprising a suitable textile material, such as muslin, shirting. denim, etc., which is wound in the form of a flat spiral around a hub section l2 of the builing wheel. The strip i0 is preferably cut on the bias and is gathered along its inner edge by means of suitable stitching I4 as shown most the separator discs.

clearly in Fig. 4 so as to permit the formation of a circular but wavy peripheral surface by the outside edge of the strip when wound around the hub section in the manner to be described.

The hub section I2 of the buillng wheel comprises plurality of radially slit fabric pieces IB preferably in disc form which are of somewhat greater diameter than the opening formed by the spiral of the convolutely wound strip of textile material. Thus, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, the outer peripheral faces of each of the discs I8 are positioned between the inner peripheral faces of the spirally wound strip I0. These fabric pieces or discs IE may be formed of any suitable material but are preferably formed from a stil! highly sized fabric, such as blind cloth. Between each of the fabric pieces or discs IB are positioned a plurality of separator discs I8 which may be formed of carboard or any other suitable material which may be built up to form a. relatively solid hub section for the bufling wheel. The separator discs IB are of substantially the same diameter as the opening formed by the spiral winding of the strip of puffing material and their thickness generally corresponds to the thickness of the gathered edge of the strip, The hub section I2 of the buiing wheel built up from the fabric discs I6 and the separator discs I8 and the inner face oi' the flat spiral formed by the textile strip iil are enclosed between a pair of fabric discs 2li which may or may not be formed of the same material as the fabric discs I6. The completed assembly is secured between a pair of heavy duck or canvas discs 22 (Fig. 1) and the entire unit is stitched together by circular stitching 24, 2B and 2B. It will be noted that stitching 24 and 26 which extends circumferentially around the hub section serves firmly to secure the strip of puffing material III to the various fabric discs I6, 2Il and 22 of the hub section and that circular stitching 2l serves firmly to secure the various fabric discs and the separators IB in assembled relationship. As will be apparent from the following description, the various discs, separators and convolutions of the bufling material are further secured together by a suitable adhesive which tends to strengthen and stiffen the hub section of the bulng wheel and which tends to anchor the builing material I more firmly in place on the hub section I2 of the wheel. provided with a central aperture 3U to permit the finished wheel to be mounted on a suitable spindle for use in a desired polishing operation. In actual use several of these buimg wheels are secured to a spindle by means of a suitable clamping device.

In order to assemble the buiilng wheel above described, a fabric disc 20 is adhesively secured in face-to-face relationship coaxially with a separator disc I8 and an adhesive is applied to the annular surface of the disc 20 which is not actuaily covered by the disc I8 (see Fig. 2). Thereafter, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4, the strip of textile material III gathered at one edge by stitching Il is adhesively secured around and to this annular area on the disc 20. After about one winding of the textile material in the manner indicated, then "a fabric disc IG is adhesively secured coaxiaily in face-to-face relationship to the separator disc I8 and to the opposite face of the inner edge of the textile material already secured to the disc 20 whereby said textile material is embraced between the disc 2U and the disc II and is adhesively secured thereto. As above indicated, the disc I6 is provided with a slit or slot 22 which extends radially from the peri- The hub section I2 is phery of the disc at least to the opening formed by the spiral winding. When securing the disc IB to the separator disc I8 and the fabric material Ill, the slit 22 is positioned adjacent the end edge 34 of the strip which has already been secured to the disc 2II. After the fabric disc I6 has thus been applied, then the strip I0 is passed through the slit 32 and thereafter a second separator disc I8 is adhesively secured to the face of the fabric disc I6 in the same manner as indicated above. An adhesive is then applied to the annular area on the disc I6 which projects beyond the periphery of the separator disc IB. Winding of the fabric Ill is then continued with the insertion of slit fabric discs I6 and separator discs I8 until the end of the strip ID has been reached. Thereafter a second disc 20 is adhesively secured to the resulting built up hub section on the opposite side of the original disc 2li which was in position at the time that the spiral winding was commenced. A pair of heavy fabric discs 22 may then be placed on either side of the composite hub section, such discs having substantially the same diameter as the discs I6 and 20. Thereafter circular stitching 2t, 26 and 2B is applied through the built up hub section firmly to hold the various component parts in assembled relationship.

In the particular modification shown, it is indicated that the central aperture 30 is built up from several discs during the assembling operation. However, it is usually preferred that the finished aperture be formed by a suitable punching Operation after the buiing wheel has been completely formed.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that an exceedingly strong and durable buiiing wheel has been prepared in accordance with the process herein disclosed. The several slit fabric discs are a part of the composite hub section which is built up during the process. At the same time these discs embrace the inner edges of the several convolutions of the buiflng material and hold them firmly both by the adhesive employed and by the stitching 24 and 26. In addition the separator discs and the fabric discs are firmly held in assembled relationship both by the adhesive employed and the circular stitching. The slits provided in the several fabric discs I6 are particularly useful for permitting the winding of the builing material I0 around the hub section. Likewise the separator discs I8 are useful in the assembly process since their outer peripheral edges define the line around which the inner edge of the strip III is wound to provide a truly circular wheel. It will be apparent that the slits 32 may be of varying width and in fact may be sufficiently wide to take the form of slots or notches through which the inner edge of the strip I0 may pass. By the term slit as employed in the accompanying claims it is intended to include slots and notches or other radially extending discontinuities in the outer surface of the fabric disc I6 which will permit the Winding of the strip I0 in the manner indicated.

While a particular embodiment of this invention is shown above, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

l. A buiflng wheel comprising a strip of textile material wound in the form of a spiral, a fabric 5 sheet having a slit positioned between two convolutions of said textile material, said textile material extending through said slit, and means for securing said textile material to said fabric sheet.

2. A buiiing wheel comprising a strip of textile material wound in the form of a spiral, a plurality of fabric discs each having a substantially radially extending slit and positioned between several convolutions of said textile material, said textile material extending through each of said slits, and means for securing said textile material to said fabric discs.

3. A bufiing wheel comprising a strip of textile material wound in the form of a spiral to provide a ring having a substantially circular opening, a plurality of fabric discs positioned within said opening having a, diameter greater than said opening and extending around their peripheral edges for a substantial distance between the several convolutions of said textile material, each of said fabric discs having a substantially radially extending slit from the outer periphery thereof to said opening, said textile material extending through each of said slits, and means for securing said textile material to said fabric discs.

4. A buiiing wheel comprising a strip of textile material wound in the form of a flat spiral to provide a ring having a substantially circular opening, said strip being gathered along the inner edge adjacent said opening, a plurality of fabric discs positioned within said opening each having a diameter greater than said opening but less than the outside diameter of said ring, each of said fabric discs extending for a substantial distance between the several convolutions of said textile material and having a substantially radial slit extending from the outer periphery to said opening, said textile material extending through each of said slits, a plurality of separator discs within said opening positioned between said fabric discs, and means for securing said textile material, said fabric discs and said separator discs in assembled relationship.

5. A bufng wheel comprising a strip of textile material wound in the form of a flat spiral to provide a ring having .a substantially circular central opening, said strip being gathered along the inner edge adjacent said opening, a plurality of fabric discs positioned within said opening each having a diameter greater than said opening but less than the outside diameter of said ring, each of said fabric discs extending for a substantial distance between successive convolutions of said textile material and having a substantially radial slit extending from the outer periphery thereof to said opening, said textile material extending through each of said slits, a plurality of separator discs also within said opening having diameters substantially the same as the diameter of said opening and positioned between each of said fabric discs, stitching means for securing said fabric discs and said separator discs` together in assembled relationship, and additional stitching means for securing said textile material and said fabric discs together in assembled relationship.

6. The bufng Wheel recited in claim 5 wherein said textile material, said fabric discs and said separator discs are also adhesively secured together in assembled relationship.

7, A buiing wheel comprising a strip of textile material wound in the form of a spiral to provide a ring having a substantially circular opening, a plurality of fabric sheets positioned within said opening having their peripheral edges extending between the several convolutions of said textile material, each of said fabric sheets having a discontinuity in an edge thereof extending inwardly to the outer peripheral edge of said opening, said textile material extending through each of said discontinuities, and means for securing said textile material to said fabric sheets.

NATHAN E. SAX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

y UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 15,226 Levett Nov. 15, 1921 1,927,862 Zimmerman Sept. 26, 1933 2,087,693 Lippitt July 20, 1937 2,102,836 Cyrex Dec. 21, 1931' 2,188,375 Sayers Jan. 30, 1940 2,317,703 Whitehead Avr. 27. 1943 

